Guitar Essentials: How to Construct a Guitar Solo

Even if you’re an experienced soloist, you might occasionally find yourself locked in your old patterns, or at a loss for new techniques. And if you’re new to soloing, you might just be wondering how to put together a solo that actually sounds like something more than a scale exercise.

In this new video, instructor Sean Daniel demonstrates a few techniques that he uses to help him visualize a solo.

He starts out by demonstrating an A minor lick that includes, as he says, “three different ideas put together in one coherent-ish form.” Sean then breaks down the lick to show and discuss the three concepts, which include arpeggios, scales and chords. The video includes TAB figures to help you through the lesson.

Sean adds, “Being able to mix and match your knowledge of chords, arpeggios and scales—or however you feel comfortable using your ear to do it—is a good way to break up the up-and-down feeling that a lot of people have difficulty with when they’re trying to create a lead part.”

We’ve previously featured Sean’s excellent tutorials here.When you’re done watching this lesson, visit his YouTube channel for more great clips and to subscribe.